At a time when Michigan's economy is foundering and arts institutions might want to play it safe, the Purple Rose Theatre Company is doing the unthinkable in 2007-08 — four world-premiere productions.

In the mix will be a new (yet untitled) comedy by Jeff Daniels, whose plays at the Chelsea, MI, venue he founded have been smasholas in the past.

The not-for-profit in Daniels' sleepy hometown 60 miles west of Detroit is one of Michigan's major theatre successes and might be the best known resident theatre in the state.

The season includes:

The Poetry of Pizza by Deborah Brevoort. Oct. 4-Dec. 22. "Professor Sarah Middleton arrives at the University of Copenhagen as a visiting poetry scholar, only to find her life irrevocably altered when she stops by a local pizzeria one night. She falls suddenly and unexpectedly in love with Soran Saleen, a Kurdish refugee who wins her heart with his unconventional pizzas. Across a huge cultural divide, the two romantics' unlikely courtship arouses the passions of everyone around them, setting in motion a rash of culinary courtships and a chaotic comedy of errors." PRTC artistic director Guy Sanville directs Sandra Birch, Michelle Mountain, Grant R. Krause, Sarah Benoit, Ruth Crawford, Hugh Macguire and Qarie Marshall.

Vino Veritas by David MacGregor. Jan. 17-March 8, 2008. "Literally translated, 'in wine, the truth,' is a Latin proverb which suggests that people reveal their true feelings under the influence of alcohol. In the newest play from [the] creator of The Late Great Henry Boyle, two couples spend Halloween with a bottle of South American ceremonial wine made from the skins of blue dart tree frogs. What follows is an unpredictable night of unbridled honesty that stretches the bounds of their friendship forever." Guy Sanville directs Quetta Carpenter, Phil Power and Suzi Regan.

Growing Pretty by Carey Crim. March 27-May 31, 2008. "In this charming coming-of-age story, 12-year-old Lucy Keen decides to become a supermodel in order to be seen, even though she is not exactly a supermodel type. But when her mother steals the love of her young life, a photographer named Jack, Lucy devotes herself to mastering the use of his ancient, discarded camera. Both Jack and her best friend Hami, son of an Iranian immigrant, follow Lucy through her life as she learns to navigate the twisted and humorous path of becoming an artist." Crim is a PRTC actress who appeared previously in Completing Dahlia. Michelle Mountain directs Matthew Gwynn, Aphrodite Nikolovski, Michael Brian Ogden and Becca McCoy.

A New Play by Jeff Daniels. June 19-Aug. 30, 2008. "Hard on the heels of his award-winning tenth play, Guest Artist, Daniels [will introduce] the world premiere of an outrageous new comedy that dares to turn the American Theatre upside down and the PRTC inside out. In the middle of a performance, two actors throw caution to the wind and their characters aside as they embark on a comic quest in search of the one thing that matters to everyone: the meaning of life." Guy Sanville directs. The Poetry of Pizza will be seen in a separate production at Virginia Stage Company in Norfolk, VA, in spring 2008.

The Purple Rose Theatre Company presents at 137 Park Street in Chelsea, MI.

Tickets for groups of 12 or more are already on sale for the entire season. PRTC donors can purchase tickets approximately two months before each show opens with tickets going on sale to the general public two weeks later. Ticket reservations can be made by calling The Purple Rose Theatre Company box office at (734) 433-ROSE (7673).

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The Purple Rose Theatre Company "is dedicated to producing the New American Play and creating opportunities for Midwest theatre professionals." For more information visit www.purplerosetheatre.org.